The move sets up a reunion with Dukes coach Bob Chesney, who coached Sluka in his four seasons in Worcester with the Crusaders (2020-23), earning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year after his 2023 season.
Chesney left Holy Cross for JMU last offseason, with Sluka moving to UNLV a month later. But Sluka only played three games for the Rebels, leading them to a 3-0 start, before announcing he was leaving the team to use his remaining redshirt season.
Sluka said his reason for the move was it had become clear that "certain representations" made to him would "not be fulfilled in the future." His agent, Marcus Cromartie of Equity Sports, said Sluka was promised $100,000 by a UNLV assistant coach who recruited the quarterback last winter but it was never fully delivered. On Halloween, Sluka officially entered the transfer portal.
UNLV didn't miss a beat without Sluka, as backup quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams led the Rebels to an 11-3 record, a trip to the Mountain West championship game, and a win in the LA Bowl.
Sluka earned All-America honors at Holy Cross, throwing for 5,900 yards, rushing for 3,500 more and scoring 97 touchdowns for the Crusaders, leaving as the program's all-time leader in career passing efficiency. In his three games at UNLV, Sluka completed 43.8 percent of his passes for 318 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 1 interception, along with 253 rushing yards and a touchdown.